The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1887-02-12
ABOLISH THE STOVES.

1t isn't very pleasant reflection
when you take your seat in comfor-
table railroad car that the warm stove
by which you sit, may with its fiery
contents the next moment be over
turned upon you. Yet such is the LA
bility to which every traveller by rail-
road trains is now exposed. You es-
cape death by railroad collision only
to run the risk of being burned alive.
Such accidents have repeatedly hap
pened, and the narrowing details OF
the recent cremation of so many I'M
fortunates on the Vermont Central
railroad, only emphasize the necessity
OF abolishing stoves IN railroad cars,
and substituting in their stead some
equally efficient, but safer method of
heating railroad carriages. The recent
horror at Woodstock Bridge was fear
fully intensified by the presence of the
stoves in the cars, and to which cause
two thirds of the deaths are directly
traceable. Three serious accidents of
this class have occurred within very
few weeks, and we are glad to notice
that the press all over the country is
directing its influence against this pub
lie enemy. One of our Baltimore CO.
temporaries presents the needed re-
form forcibly, in its comments on the
recent Vermont disaster.
For several minutes after the awful
crash of the cars from the bridge to the
ice covered river, seventy feet below,
there was no fire. The work of res
cuing the jammedin passengers was
progressing rapidly. All at once flames
issued from one of the cars and spread
with frightful rapidlty to the others.
Here ensued an awful scene-of wo-
men and strong men, not seriously
hurt but pinned down by heavy timbers,
frantically struggling for release, while
the merciless flames quickly encroached
upon them and burned them to death
the opposing hills lit up by shooting
tongues OF fire from the de6r1S-the
death screams Of those who saw their
own flesh burning to crisp-and the
air heavy with the fearful odor of roast
ing human bodies. This was, indeed,
a realistic picture that might have been
truly drawn from Dante's Inferno
1t is clear, therefore, that the worst
part of this gnastly horror was due to
the presence of heated stoves in the
cars. These railroad cremations are
of frequent occurrence and they have
all been due to hot stoves. With each
succeeding cremation the public has
protested, but always without avail
The companies have seemed oblivious
to the dangers to which they subjected
travellers. They have argued that there
is no other way of heating cars except
by stoves, but the fallacy OF this claim
has been proved in half dozen diff
ferent ways A few small lines, here
and there, are successfully utilizing
steam, as are the elevated roads in
New York but the trunk. lines have
resolutely refused to abandon stoves.
Legislative action has been threatened,
and a bill has been introduced in Con
gress a. the present session making it
unlawful to use stoves but the com
panies have been beedless to all these
manifestations of popular alarm ov-r a
real danger. Every car has its red
hot stove ready for use as SO many
crematories in case of a smash-up.
1t is quite certain that public senti
ment will now peremptorily demand
that this glazing evil Of stoves must be
eliminated from the railroad systems of
this country and some other heating
apparatus substituted. The railroad
companies must be brought to under
stand that the lives OF their passengers
are entitled to all the protection that
careful precaution insures.
The average railroad company has
but one object, and that is to make
money. Money must be made and